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THE  LEWIS  CARROLL  SOCIETY 


It  Letter 


OF  NORTH  AMERICA 


NUMBER  40    WINTER    1992 


He  had  just  one  idea — but,  that 


LCSNA  Publishes  Illustrated  Snark 

On  May  2,  the  LCSNA  will  publish  a  newly  illustrated 
edition  of  Lewis  Carroll's  classic  nonsense  poem  The  Hunting 
of  the  Snark.  The  book  will  contain  over  60  illustrations  by  artist 
Jonathan  Dixon,  who  spent  over  a  year  on  the  project.  Dixon 
was  born  in  Washington,  D.  C,  in  1 966,  and  currently  resides  in 
Redwood  Falls,  Minnesota.  He  is  a  long-time  fan  of  Lewis 
Carroll  and  1 9th  century  book  illustration  and  a  member  of  the 
LCSNA.  This  will  be  his  first  published  book. 

Dixon's  pen  and  ink  illustrations  for  the  Snark  are  rife  with 
wit  and  allusions  to  everything  from  William  Shakespeare  to 
Monty  Python— in  fact,  clever  critics  will  notice  that  Hamlet 

and  the  "Dead  Parrot"  sketch  converge  in  a  single  illustration. 
Dixon  has  said  of  some  of  his  illustrations  that  they  are  the  visual 
equivalent  of  Carroll's  parodies  of  popular  poetry — Munch's 
"The  Scream"  and  Goya's  "The  Sleep  of  Reason  Produces 
one  eing  mii  Monsters"are thebasisfortwoof hispictures, andanotherbears 
a  striking  resemblance  to  the  work  of  Maxfield  Parrish. 

Dixon's  biggest  influences,  however,  are  the  illustrators  of  the  late  19th  century, 
especially  those  who  worked  with  Carroll — Tenniel,  Frost,  Furniss,  and  Holiday.  He 
pays  tribute  to  these  great  artists  by  placing  them,  along  with  Carroll  himself,  in  the 
jury  box  in  the  Barrister's  dream. 

Readers  who  take  a  careful  look  at  Dixon's  illustrations  will  find  many  of  the 
clever  details  he  incorporates,  yet  I  doubt  if  anyone  will  find  them  all.  Still,  take  a  look 
at  the  Bellman's  fireplace,  the  figurehead  and  the  name  of  the  ship,  and  the  profile  of 
Snark  Island.  This  last  appears  on  the  final  of  three  title  pages  ("What  I  tell  you  three 

times  is  true").  This  title  page  includes 
calligraphy  created  by  Glen  Epstein,  who 
might  be  called  an  interplanetary  artist, 
as  he  designed  the  logo  for  the  Gallileo 
space  probe. 

Dixon's  illustrations  exhibit  not  only 
a  careful  study  of  the  text,  but  also  a 
knowledge  of  many  aspects  of  Carroll's 
life  and  times,  yet  his  work  will  surely  be 
enjoyed  by  those  who  are  discovering 
Carroll  and  his  masterpiece  of  nonsense 
for  the  first  time. 

We  hope  that  Mr.  Dixon  will  be  able 
to  speak  to  the  Society  at  a  future  meeting 
to  point  out  more  of  the  unique  features 
of  his  work.  Until  then.  Society  mem- 
bers will  certainly  enjoy  this  new  look  at 
an  old  favorite.  Ordering  information  is 
included  in  this  issue  of  KL. 


Future  Meetings 

The  Spring  1992  meeting  of  the 
LCSNA  will  see  our  return  to  the  Bobst 
library  of  New  York  University,  which 
houses  the  impressive  Alfred  C.  Berol 
Lewis  Carroll  collection.  Frank  Walker, 
curator  of  the  collection,  will  prepare  a 
videotape  for  the  meeting  which  com- 
pares several  television  versions  of  Alice 
produced  over  the  past  four  decades.  In 
addition  to  this  presentation  we  will  have 
two  featured  speakers. 

Poet  and  children's  author  William 
Jay  Smith  will  deliver  a  talk  titled  "What 
is  the  Sen.se  of  Nonsense,"  and  William 
Orr,  who  is  currently  working  on  trans- 
lating Carroll's  works  into  Esperanto, 
will  discuss  the  difficulties  and  pecu- 
liarities of  translating  Carroll.  The  meet- 
ing will  be  preceded  by  lunch,  and  efforts 
are  underway  to  arrange  a  social  gather- 
ing for  members  after  the  formal  meet- 
ing. Full  details  will  follow  shortly. 

Plan  ahead  for  this  fall  when  our 
meeting  will  take  place  on  October  17  in 
San  Francisco,  California. 


Editorial — 

Memory* s  Mystic  Band 


You  Asked  For  It . .  . 


December  28,  1991,  10  p.m.:  A  four- 
year-old  child  a  thousand  miles  away  gets  on 
the  phone  to  say  hello  to  me  and  then,  without 
prompting,  sings  me  "Away  in  a  Manger." 
Suddenly  all  the  neon  and  glitter  and  news 
stories  about  the  economy  disappear,  and 
Christmas  is  made  pure  again.   As  I  wipe  a 

tear  away No,  this  is  not  a  commercial  for 

A  T  &  T,  just  my  latest  lesson  in  the  beautiful 
innocence  of  childhood.  Of  course,  if  I  had 
paid  any  attention  to  Lewis  Carroll,  I  would 
have  learned  that  lesson  long  ago,  but  nothing 
teaches  like  experience. 

"Any  one  that  has  ever  loved  one  true 
child,"  wrote  Carroll,  "will  have  known  the 
awe  that  falls  on  one  in  the  presence  of  a  spirit 
fresh  from  God's  hands,  on  whom  no  shadow 
of  sin,  and  but  the  outermost  fringe  of  the 
shadow  of  sorrow,  has  yet  fallen.  ...  I  think 
a  child's  first  attitude  to  the  world  is  a  simple 
love  for  all  living  things."  Carroll's  Roman- 
tic notion  of  the  child,  inherited,  as  Morton 
Cohen  has  noted,  from  Blake,  Wordsworth, 
and  Coleridge,  was  one  that  he  believed  in 
deeply  and  which  he  applied  throughout  his 
life,  in  thought,  word,  and  deed. 

Can  such  a  child  exist  today,  in  a  world  of 
Teenage  Mutant  Ninja  Turtles  and  sugar 
frosted  breakfast  cereal?  Undoubtedly.  20th 
century  man  may  have  shortened  the  period 
of  childhood  innocence,  but  he  has  yet  to 
eliminate  it  all  together.  Children  can  still 
delight  in  the  simplest  pleasures — pleasures 
we  sometimes  spend  our  whole  adult  lives 
trying  to  recapture.  Some  even  delight  in  the 
works  of  Lewis  Carroll! 

I  do  not  believe  those  who  say  Carroll  has 
no  relevance  for  today's  child,  but  one  must 
not  simply  toss  Alice  at  an  eight-year-old  and 
say  "Read  this."  When  I  have  seen  real  joy  on 
the  faces  of  children  in  the  presence  o{  Alice 
is  when  I  have  read  it  to  them  aloud — sud- 
denly the  old-fashioned  words  and  slow-mov- 
ing action  are  transformed  into  a  cacophony 
of  strange  voices,  outlandish  characters,  and 
funny  jokes.  Children's  faces  do  light  up. 
I've  seen  it  happen. 

Why  should  we  share.  Alice  with  children 
in  this  way?  Not  to  ensure  the  future  of  the 
LCSNA  or  to  show  off  our  knowledge  of  the 
text;  not  for  our  own  enjoyment  or  to  train  the 
next  generation  to  have  the  same  passions  we 
have;  Carroll  told  us  why — "No  deed  of  ours, 
I  suppose,  on  this  side  of  the  grave,  is  really 
unselfish:  yet  if  one  can  put  forth  all  one's 
powers  in  a  task  where  nothing  of  reward  is 
hoped  for  but  a  little  child's  whispered  thanks, 
and  the  airy  touch  of  a  little  child's  pure  lips, 
one  seems  to  come  somewhere  near  to  this." 


As  part  of  the  continuing  saga  of  the 
LCSNA  survey,  we  take  this  space  to 
answer  a  few  specific  questions  from 
members'  responses. 

•  "One  wish  of  mine  is  for  member- 
ship folders  I  could  have  on  hand  to 
give  to  potential  members."  The 
LCSNA  does  have  a  publicity  folder 
with  a  membership  form  attached.  Of 
course,  these  forms  do  us  no  good  sitting 
in  a  box,  so  we  would  be  happy  to  send 
copies  to  members  who  request  them 
(simply  write  to  the  secretary  at  the  ad- 
dress on  page  6).  Most  of  our  new 
members  are  recruited  by  old  members, 
so  we  would  love  to  have  your  help. 

•  "I  vcould  prefer  a  single  two-day 
meeting  each  year,  so  I  have  more  time 
to  get  to  know  other  members."  We 
have  experimented  with  several  formats 
for  meetings  and  found  that  two  meet- 
ings each  year  (usually  one  in  or  near 
New  York  and  one  elsewhere)  allow  the 
maximum  number  of  members  to  par- 
ticipate. We  have  made  an  effort  re- 
cently, and  will  continue  to  do  so,  to  have 
more  planned  socializing  time  before  or 
after  the  meetings  so  that  members  can 
have  a  chance  to  discuss  Carroll  (and 
even  other  matters)  informally. 

•  "Can  meetings  be  videotaped  or 
audiotaped  for  members  who  are  un- 
able to  attend?"  The  board  has  ad- 
dressed this  issue  and  decided  for  several 
reasons  to  forgo  the  taping  of  meetings. 
In  addition  to  the  complications  involved 
in  artanging  the  taping,  and  the  repro- 
duction and  distribution  of  tapes,  many 
speakers  prefer  not  to  have  their  presen- 
tations recorded.  Rather  than  deal  with 
this  problem  on  an  individual  case  basis, 
it  is  simpler  to  avoid  the  issue  altogether. 
This  also  reduces  the  chance  that  some- 
one might  decline  to  speak  to  us  because 
of  this  issue. 

•  "I  would  like  to  write  for  the  Knight 
Letter^  So  many  of  you  responded  that 
you  would  be  interested  in  writing  on 
various  topics  that  it  is  impossible  to 
write  to  you  all  individually.  We  would 
be  happy,  however,  to  consider  any  sub- 
missions you  feel  are  appropriate  to  the 
format  of  the  KL.  In  the  case  of  submis- 
sions which  we  feel  are  more  appropriate 
for  other  publications  we  will  be  pleased 


to  forward  them  to  other  editors  if  so 
instructed.  We  do  appreciate  all  the 
contributions  we  receive  for  the  KL,  even 
if  there  is  not  room  for  everything.  With- 
out your  help,  this  newsletter  would  look 
like  a  Baker  who  had  just  encountered  a 
Boojum! 

•  "The  Knight  Letter  doesn't  need  a 
collectors'  exchange,  since  Joel 
Birenbaum  does  such  a  good  job  with 
his."  Good  point.  LCSNA  member  Joel 
Birenbaum  has  organized  a  Lewis  Carroll 
collectors'  exchange  for  several  years 
now.  Members  interested  in  joining  his 
network  should  contact  him  at  2486 
Brunswick  Circle,  Apt.  #A  1 ,  Woodridge, 
IL,  60402. 

•  "Whatever  happened  to  the  free 
books?"  In  the  early  days  of  the  LCSNA, 
the  $20  membership  free  included  a  copy 
of  a  book  or  chapbook  published  by  the 
society  that  year.  Rising  production  costs 
made  this  arrangement  economically 
impossible.  Also,  several  years  ago  the 
society  embarked  on  the  task  of  publish- 
ing the  complete  pamphlets  of  Lewis 
Carroll  in  six  large,  and  expensive,  vol- 
umes. The  Board  felt  that  it  was  more 
important  to  issue  this  major  landmark 
series  in  Lewis  Carroll  scholarship  than 
to  continue  to  issue  the  less  significant 
chapbooks.  Members  will,  however,  re- 
ceive substantial  discounts  on  the  books 
in  the  pamphlets  series,  as  well  as  on  all 
society  publications.  These  discounts,  as 
well  as  the  increased  size  and  frequency 
of  the  Knight  Letter,  should  help  to  make 
up  for  the  discontinuation  of  the  chap- 
book  series. 

•  "How  can  I  find  out  about  the 
Lewis  Carroll  Society  of  Great  Brit- 
ain?" The  British  LC  Society  has  two 
publications,  a  newsletter  called 
Bandersnatch  which  features  brief  notes 
on  the  society's  meetings,  book  reviews, 
and  press  clipping;  and  a  journal, 
Jabberwocky,  issued  somewhat  irregu- 
larly and  devoted  to  articles  on  all  as- 
pects of  Carroll's  life  and  works.  Mem- 
bership dues  for  U.S.  members  are  $20 
for  individuals,  $23  for  institutions,  and 
$15  for  students  and  senior  citizens.  Dues 
should  be  sent  to  the  Treasurer,  Roger 
Allen,  at  146  Headstone  Lane,  Harrow, 
Middlesex,  HA2  6JT,  England. 


Batt's  Snark  Plays  West  End  for  Christmas  Season 

£2  Million  Musical  Gets  Lukewarm  Critical  Reception 


THE  HUNTING  OF 


Mike  Batt's  musical  version  of  Carroll's  The  Hunting  of 
the  Snark  opened  at  the  Prince  Edward  Theatre  in  London  on 
October  24  and  ran  through  the  Christmas  season,  despite  a  less 
than  sensational  set  of  reviews.  Followers  of  Batt  will  recall 
that  his  Snark  first  appeared  as  a  concept  album  several  years 
ago.  The  original  album  features  John  Geilgud  and  John  Hurt 
as  narrators  and  a  group  of  pop  music  all-stars  as  the  various 
Snark  hunters.  One  happy  byproduct  of  the  musical's  West 
End  appearance  is  the  issuing  of  the  original  album  on  CD. 

The  new  incarnation  of  Batt's  score  is  a  fully  realized,  high- 
tech  musical  which  takes  the  audience  through  a  dazzling 
display  of  special  effects  and  memorable  music.  Some  critics 
have  decried  its  lack  of  plot,  but  it  certainly  has  more  plot  than 
Cats  or  Starlight  Express  which  have  played 
in  London  to  sold-out  crowds  for  years. 

The  show  begins  with  a  60-piece  or- 
chestra in  the  middle  of  the  stage,  where 
they  remain  for  the  entire  evening.  The 
orchestra  leader  plays  a  small  role  in  the 
hunt,  and  has  therefore  been  rechristened 
"Bandmaster."  Another  additional  "B" 
character  who  appears  is  the  Bishop,  but 
the  other  major  characters  are  based  on 
Carroll 's  originals.  Carroll  himself,  played  by  David  McCallum, 
introduces  the  show  and  moves  it  along  through  outside 
narration  and  occasional  repartee  with  the  cast.  Virtually  all  of 
Carroll's  lines  are  taken  from  his  writings,  and  it  is  a  tribute  to 
his  wit  that  many  of  the  show's  biggest  laughs  came  during  his 
recitations.  Some  of  the  most  touching  moments  come  from 
his  character  too,  for  he  provides  a  figure  something  akin  to 
C.  S.  Lewis'  concept  of  God — he  created  the  characters  and 
their  situation,  but  once  the  action  has  begun  he  can  only  step 
back  and  observe,  sharing  in  their  laughter  and  their  pain  but 
unable  to  interfere  with  their  actions.  The  deep  sorrow  with 
which  he  says  "For  the  Snark  was  a  Boojum,  you  see"  is  very 
reminiscent  of  Asian's  majestic  sharing  of  human  pain. 

The  hunt  is  introduced  by  Carroll  quoting  from  a  letter  in 
which  he  told  a  young  girl  that  he  didn't  know  the  meaning  of 
the  Snark  but  that  he  liked  an  explanation  that  he  had  been 
offered,  that  it  was  "an  allegory  on  the  search  for.  .  .  ." 
Carrollians  will  know  that  the  missing  word  is  "happiness,"  but 
Carroll  is  interrupted  and  we  soon  discover  that  this  Snark  hunt 
is  an  allegory  on  the  search  for  many  things.  The  structure  of 
the  show  hangs  on  the  assumption  that  each  searches  for 
something  different — his  own  personal  Snark.  The  Bellman 
looks  for  a  concrete  beast,  the  Baker  for  a  chance  to  prove  his 
bravery,  the  vegetarian  Butcher  for  the  motivation  to  finally 
kill  something,  the  Beaver  for  Love,  and  the  Bishop  for  God. 
The  Cast  sings  Hymn  42  before  departing  intoning  "I  know  it's 
out  there,  but  it's  not  what  you  believe."  From  this  point  on, 
the  scenes  which  work  best  dramatically  involve  the  conflicts 
between  characters  who  expect  to  find  different  Snarks. 

While  the  Billiard-marker's  song  is  amusing  and  the 


THE 


THE  MUSICAL 


Barrister's  Dream  cleverly  staged,  neither  seems  to  fit  in  the 
show.  On  the  other  hand,  the  conflict  between  the  aggressive 
Bellman  and  the  fearful  Baker,  though  somewhat  overstated, 
provides  some  dramatic  moments.  The  one  spot  in  the  show 
which  would  certainly  make  Carroll  cringe,  as  well  as  those 
who  brought  small  children,  is  when  the  Butcher,  while  trying 
to  kill  the  (female)  Beaver,  suddenly  announces  that  he  feels 
"as  erotic  as  hell."  The  transformation  from  foe  to  friend  is 
much  too  sudden  and  much  too  sexual. 

Batt  brings  in  some  of  Carroll's  other  works  at  times,  the 
best  being  when  the  B<ftiker,  having  been 
attacked  by  a  Bandersna^ch,  mumbles  words 
"whose  utter    inanity  prove  his  insanity." 
What  he  mutters,  shouts,  whispers,  and 
sighs  his  way  through  is  a  marvelously 
dramatic  recitation  of  "Jabberwocky," 
which  Carroll  also  integrated  into  the  Snark. 
What  does  this  crew  learn  from  its  hunt 
once  the  Baker  has  disappeared  and  they 
have  returned  to  port?  Carroll's  story  didn't 
have  a  moral — we  know  how  he  abhorred 
them — but  Batt's  is  summed  up  in  the  final 
song  when  the  cast,  led  by  the  remorseful 
Bellman,  sings,  in  a  near  paraphrase  of  the 
United  States'  Bill  of  Rights: 

Whatever  makes  you  strong 
Whatever  lines  you  choose  to  live  your  life  along 
I  will  never  say  you're  right  or  wrong 
Even  if  I  don't  believe  whatever  you  believe. 
Each  character  has  finally  recognized  the  others'  right  to 
search  for  whatever  Snarks  they  choose — "It's  not  what  you 
believe"  becomes  "Whatever  you  believe." 

The  most  innovative  feature  of  Batt's  show,  and  one  which 
will  likely  be  used  by  many  others  in  the  future,  was  a  unique 
projection  system  which  allowed  him  to  throw  animated  scenes 
onto  portions  of  the  set.  Through  the  use  of  over  1 50  slide 
projectors  and  thousands  of  handpainted  slides  the  show  was 
able  to  adopt  a  cinematic  flavor  employing  fade-outs,  dis- 
solves, and  techniques  rarely  seen  in  the  live  theatre.  More 
than  anything  the  results  of  this  technique  reminded  me  of 
Terry  Gilliam's  animated  sequences  done  for  Monty  Python. 
Why  did  this  show  fail  to  achieve  a  long  run  in  spite  of  the 
spectacular  nature  of  the  effects  and  the  drawing  power  of 
Lewis  Carroll?  Unquestionably  Batt  attempted  to  do  too 
much.  He  acted  as  composer,  lyricist,  director,  designer,  and 
on  some  nights.  Bandmaster.  The  potential  for  a  superb 
evening  at  the  theatre  was  lurking  in  this  Snark;  if  Batt  had  only 
been  willing  to  share  the  creative  load  it  might  still  be  running. 
Still,  it  was  entertaining  and,  at  times,  breathtaking,  and  the 
root  of  its  critical  rejection  may  have  been  that  it  occupied  a  no- 
man 's-land  between  traditional  Christmas  pantomime  and 
modem  mega-musical — it  was  far  beyond  the  one  in  content 
yet  fell  short  of  the  other  in  execution. 


O^jif  5^C[^#p^  Sc  ©la^jccg, 


New  &  Noteworthy 

The  past  few  months  have  made  for  productive  browsing  at 
the  local  bookstore.  If  you  haven't  yet  found  them,  you  may 
want  to  look  for  the  following. 

Alice's  Adventures  in  Wonderland  illustrated  by  Barry 
Moser.  Now  available  in  paperback  from  Harcourt  Brace 
Jovanovich  ($16.95,  ISBN  0-15-604426-9). 

The  Barry  Moser  Engagement  Calendar  for  1992.  A 
must  for  fans  of  Moser's  Alice  illustrations.  Each  week  has  a 
Moser  illustration,  many  of  which  are  drawn  from  the  Alice 
books,  and  each  illustration  is  accompanied  by  previously 
unpublished  commentary  from 
the  artist.  The  rear  cover  has  a 
previously  unpublished  illustra- 
tion of  the  Hatter's  watch  which 
incorporates  four  self-portraits  of 
Moser.  Published  by  Harcourt 
Brace  Jovanovich  ($  1 2.95,  ISBN 
0-15-610694-9). 

Alice  in  Wonderland  illus- 
trated by  Greg  Hildebrandt.  An 
abridged  version  of  the  text  to- 
gether with  reduced  versions  of 
the  illustrations.  Published  by 
Unicom  Publishing  House  (about 

$5.95). 

Illustration  by 

Rhyme  from  Through  the  Looking  Glass.  Six  pop-up  scenes 
designed  by  Nick  Bantock  accompany  the  text  of 
"Jabberwocky"  (though  the  final  stanza  is  lacking).  A  cleverly 
designed  book,  somewhat  reminiscent  of  Edward  Corey's  The 
Dwindling  Party.  The  final  pop-up  of  the  Jabberwock  emerg- 
ing from  the  head  of  the  hook-handed  narrator  is  especially 
effective.  Published  by  Viking  ($8.95,  ISBN  0-670-84085-8). 

Donald  Rackin's  Alice  Essays 
Revised  Into  Book 

Alice  has  entered  Twayne's  Masterwork  Studies  series  of 
critical  reader's  companions  with  the  publication  of  Donald 
Rackin's  AAIW  and  TTLG.-  Nonsense,  Sense,  and  Meaning. 
After  some  preliminary  material  establishing  the  books'  con- 
text, Rackin  offers  revised  versions  of  five  previously  pub- 
lished essays,  reworked  for  the  occasion  so  that  they  compose 
a  unified  reading  of  the  two  books.  Some  of  these  essays  have 
been  relatively  available,  some  only  made  periodical  appear- 
ances, but  none  has  been  in  print  more  recently  than  1988. 

Of  course,  this  is  essential  for  collectors  and  scholars,  but 
the  many  thoughtful  people  who  are  put  off  by  or  unfamiliar 
with  literary  criticism  would  be  well  rewarded  for  giving  this 
a  try.  Rackin,  who  is  an  LCSNA  member  and  Temple  Univer- 


sity English  professor,  presents 
complex  and  sophisticated  ideas 
with  almost  none  of  the  idiosyn- 
cratic use  of  language  that  can  make 
criticism  so  aggravating  to  the  lay- 
man. Anyone  with  an  interest  in  the  Alices  will  find  many 
provocative  ideas,  both  congenial  and  antipathetic  to  one's 
own  interpretation.  Rackin  has  been  publishing  on  Carroll 
since  his  award- winning  "Alice's  Journey  to  the  End  of  Night" 
in  1 966,  and  it  is  very  interesting  to  see  someone  who  has  been 
important  in  the  field  so  long  go  back  to  his  early  work  and 
revise  in  light  of  all  that  has  been  done  on  Carroll  in  the  past  25 

years.  In  Jamesian  fashion,  we 
W  may  compare  the  young  work 
with  the  mature  revision,  and 
with  the  later  writings,  and  in 
doing  so,  find  a  microcosm  of 
the  development  of  Carroll  stud- 
ies in  the  latter  part  of  the  twen- 
tieth century.  This  soft-bound 
book  should  be  available  from 
any  book  store,  though  a  special 
order  may  be  necessary. 

— Stephanie  Lovett 


'^'  Alice  in  Canada 

George  Walker 

The  Cheshire  Cat  Press  of  Toronto  has  recently  published 
Alice' s  Adventures  in  Toronto  in  an  edition  of  177  copies. 
Readers  familiar  with  the  previous  publications  of  the  Press 
will  know  that  it  consists  of  LCSNA  member  Joe  Brabant, 
illustrator  George  Walker,  and  printer  Bill  Poole.  In  this  latest 
effort  the  96  wood  engravings  produced  by  Walker  for  the 
Press's  edition  oi  Alice  published  inl988  are  reproduced  in 
black  ink.  Those  who  have  not  seen  the  earlier  work  will  want 
to  peruse  this  section,  but,  for  those  who  have  seen  the 
illustrations  printed  in  an  array  of  colors  and  set  into  the  text, 
this  monochromatic  reprinting  will  seem  dull  by  comparison. 
Appended  to  this,  however,  are  a  number  of  woodcuts  which 
were  rejected  for  use  in  the  1988  /^//ce  as  well  as  reproductions 
of  several  of  Walker's  preliminary  drawings.  The  latter  two 
sections  also  contain  commentary  on  why  certain  pictures 
were  not  used,  as  well  as  a  further  glimpse  into  Walker's 
method  of  working.  This  volumes  makes  a  lovely  companion 
to  the  1988  Alice,  and  will  be  a  valuable  addition  to  any 
collection,  documenting  as  it  does  the  publication  of  the  first 
Canadian  Alice.  Collectors  and  admirers  of  fine  printing  will 
only  be  further  tantalized  by  the  announcement  at  the  end  of  the 
book  that  the  Cheshire  Cat  Press's  edition  of  Through  the 
Looking-Glass  is  coming  soon.  (Available  from  Lyndsay 
Dobson  Books,  P.O.  Box  285,  Grimsby,  Ontario,  Canada, 
L3M4G5.  Price:  $85  Canadian). 


5^^ 


Carrollian 

Notes 


Carroll  Visits 
Gulf  Coast 

Spring  Hill  College  in  Mobile,  Alabama, 
plans  to  hold  a  Lewis  Carroll  celebration 
on  the  weekend  of  April  10-12.  Math- 
ematics professor  Dr.  Stephen  Curry  will 
deliver  a  talk  titled  "Alice  in  Logic  Land" 
which  will  probe  the  "froggy  problems 
of  Carroll's  Symbolic  Logic.''  The  pro- 
gram will  also  include  a  discussion  by 
LCSNA  member  Eugene  Walter  on  the 
long  British  linguistic  tradition  Carroll 
represents.  Between  these  two  talks,  a 
video  of  the  1933  Paramount  film  of 
Alice  will  be  shown.  The  program  will 
be  presented  twice — once  for  students  of 
the  local  math/science  high  school  and 
once  for  alumni.  Friends  of  the  Library, 
and  Spring  Hill  students.  For  additional 
information  contact  Dr.  Alice  Harrison 
Bahr,  Director  of  the  Library,  4000  Dau- 
phin St.,  Mobile,  AL,  36608. 

New  Disney  Series 
Based  on  Alice 

"Adventures  in  Wonderland,"  a  new  en- 
tertaining and  educational  weekday  se- 
ries for  young  children  will  premiere  on 
the  Disney  Channel  on  March  23  at  7:30 
a.m.  Drawing  from  Carroll's  fantasies, 
Disney  has  created  a  90s  Wonderland 
featuring  a  contemporary  12-year-old 
Alice,  the  very  hip  Tweedle  Dum  and 
Tweedle  Dee,  and  other  characters  in- 
cluding the  White  Rabbit,  Mad  Hatter, 
March  Hare,  Caterpillar,  and  Red  Queen. 
"We  are  using  the  legacy  of  Lewis 
Carroll's  fantasy-filled  literature  to  pro- 
duce an  imaginative  environment  through 
which  we  can  teach  language  and  vo- 
cabulary skills,"  said  Stephen  D.  Fields, 
senior  vice  president  of  original  pro- 
gramming for  the  Disney  Channel. 
"Lewis  Carroll's  inventive  word  play 


lends  itself  to  the  stimulating, 
varied,  and  entertaining  edu- 
cational thrust  we  wanted  for 
the  series."  The  series,  which 
will  air  Monday-Friday,  is  a 
combination  of  live  action, 
claymation,  and  puppetry,  and 
is  in  no  way  related  to  Walt  Disney's 
animated  feature  of  y4//(r.  Each  of  the  65 
episodes  being  produced  will  contain 
four  original  songs  by  Mark 
Mothersbaugh,  lead  singer  for  the  group 
Devo.  The  Disney  Channel  will  be  dis- 
tributing educational  kits  to  teachers 
across  the  country,  and  will  offer  a  free 
"Adventures  in  Wonderland"  poster  to 
Disney  Channel  subscribers  to  help  pub- 
licize the  series.  The  series  has  been 
recommended  by  both  the  National  Edu- 
cation Association  and  the  American 
Federation  of  Teachers. 


Alice  at  Longwood 

Longwood  Gardens,  an  historic  home 
and  garden  in  Kennett  Square,  PA,  used 
the  theme  of  "Alice's  Wonderland"  for 
their  1991  Chrysanthemum  Festival, 
October  26-December  1.  The  festival 
included  daily  performances  of  vignettes 
from  Alice  by  Shoestring  Productions  of 
Brandywine  Valley  and  gardens  deco- 
rated with  topiary  characters  from  the 
two  Alice  books.  Through  the  Looking- 


Glass  was  well  represented  by  an  enor- 
mous game  of  chess  played  in  an  open  air 
theatre  several  times  each  day.  The  fes- 
tival was  accompanied  by  an  exhibit. 
Images  of  Alice,  which  featured  books 
and  prints  from  the  Robin  Collection  of 
the  Donglomur  Foundation,  a  private 
library  in  Villanova,  PA.  The  exhibit 
featured  a  wide  spectrum  of  illustrated 
Alices  and  other  related  materials. 


Images  of  Alice 

Alice  was  showcased  in  an  exhibit  titled 
"The  Image  of  the  Child"  mounted  by  the 
de  Grummond  Collection  of  the  Univer- 
sity of  Southern  Mississippi  in 
Hattiesburg  last  year.  The  exhibit  fea- 
tured images  of  children  in  pictures  and 
words  from  the  18th  through  the  20th 
centuries.  Materials  for  the  exhibit  were 
drawn  from  the  collection's  extensive 
archive  of  original  artwork  and  manu- 
scripts of  children's  books,  as  well  as 
from  the  collection  of  historical  children '  s 
books  housed  at  the  de  Grummond.  A 
superbly  produced  catalogue  of  the  ex- 
hibit was  issued.  Members  wishing  to 
know  more  about  the  exhibit  or  about  the 
splendid  resources  the  de  Grummond 
collection  offers  for  scholars  of  children's 
literature  may  contact  the  curator.  Dee 
Jones,  at  Box  5148,  Southern  Station, 
Hattiesburg,  MS,  39406. 


Dodgson's  1862  Index  to 

"In  Memoham,"  both  of  which  differ  from  the  description  in  the  Lewis 
Carroll  Handbook  (see  item  #31  on  page  21  of  the  1979  edition).  The 
first  copy  collates  with  the  description  in  the  Handbook  internally,  but  the 
brown  cloth  covers  have  a  blind-stamped  decorative  border  on  both  front 
and  rear,  and  the  front  cover  is  stamped  in  gold  "INDEX,  I  TO  I  IN 
MEMORIAM."  The  second  copy  lacks  the  8  pages  of  advertisements 
and  is  bound  in  a  much  darker  brown  pebbled  cloth  with  blind-stamped 
triple  rule  border  on  the  front  and  rear  covers.  The  front  cover  is  stamped 
in  gold  'INDEX  TO  "IN  MEMORIAM.'"  with  virtually  no  space  between  the 
"TO"  and  the  opening  quotation  mark  and  with  the  period  directly  under  the 
closing  quotation  mark.  This  work  was  available  from  the  publisher  bound  and 
in  sheets,  so  these  could  represent  copies  bound  from  sheets  by  individuals.  I  am 
inclined  to  believe  this  of  the  second  described  copy  because  of  the  lack  of 
advertisements  and  the  crudeness  of  the  spacing  on  the  front  cover  lettering.  The 
first  copy  described,  however,  has  all  the  appearances  of  a  publisher's  binding. 
Do  other  members  have  copies  of  this  work  in  bindings  that  match  either  of  the 
above  descriptions,  or  even,  for  that  matter,  copies  which  match  the  binding 
description  in  the  Handbook? 


iMfft  C/a^  ra 


a^, 


"Through  the  Looking-Glass"  will  be  the 
theme  of  the  1992  Sonoma  County  Hall 
of  Flowers,  one  of  the  largest  flower 
shows  on  the  West  Coast.  The  show  will 
be  held  in  Santa  Rosa,  CA,  from  July  24- 
August  9.  For  more  information  contact 
LCSNA  member  and  show  designer 
Jacquelyn  Giuffre  at  363  El  Faisan  Dr., 
San  Rafael,  CA,  94903. 


Cof^t^e^pondent^ 


The  Alice  in  Wonderland  Tins,  based  on 
the  Biscuit  Tin  of  1892,  are  now  avail- 
able in  many  museum  shops  and  cata- 
logues, including  the  mail-order  cata- 
logue for  the  Pierpont  Morgan  Library 
(29  East  36th  St.,  New  York,  NY,  10016). 
Prices  range  from  $7.50  to  $12.50. 

As  most  members  have  probably  seen, 
the  Cheshire  Beagle  has  reappeared  in 
the  Peanuts  cartoon  strip.  Long-time 
Carrollians  will  recall  the  original  ap- 
pearance of  this  character  in  January, 
1967. 

The  Fourth  Annual  Snark  Potluck,  hosted 
by  LCSNA  member  Richard  Boothe, 
will  take  place  at  6:30  p.m.,  April  1 ,  at  the 
Picnic  Shelter,  Burton  Chace  Park,  Ma- 
rina del  Rey,  CA.  For  further  informa- 
tion, contact  the  Bellman  at  (213)  465- 
8439. 

Penny  Whistle  Toys  ( 1 283  Madison  Ave., 
New  York,  NY,  10128;  212-369-3868) 
has  an  Alice  watercolor  set  in  a  metal  box 
with  a  Tenniel-style  illustration  on  the 
cover.  The  box  is  a  reproduction  of  an 
earlier  tin  (one  of  the  originals,  which 
appears  to  be  ca.  1950,  was  displayed  in 
the  Alice  exhibit  at  the  British  Museum 
last  fall).  The  set  is  priced  at  $20.50,  plus 
shipping. 


The  Anne  Carlton  Alice  chess  sets  are 
available  once  again,  in  many  museum 
shops  and  in  the  Hammacher  Schlemmer 
catalogue  ( 1  -800-543-3366)  where  they 
sell  for  about  $250  unpainted  or  $600 
handpainted. 

Elizabeth  Erickson  reports  that  the  Black- 
light  Theatre  of  Prague's  production  of 
Alice  in  Wonderland  currently  touring 
the  US  and  Canada  is  a  delight  to  see — 
a  combination  of  ballet,  pantomime,  and 
wonderful  magic  effects  done  by  ultra- 
violet light  with  invisible  black-clad  prop- 
erty manipulators.  For  information  on 
the  tour,  contact  Bill  Fegan  Attractions 
(505-445-5528). 

The  continuing  flood  of  A//c^jewelry  has 
flowed  into  recent  catalogues  from  The 
Metropolitan  Museum  of  Art  which  of- 
fers a  charm  bracelet  ($52),  Cheshire  Cat 
necklace  ($22  in  silver,  $95  in  gold),  and 
White  Rabbit  pin  ($42);  and  Museum 
Collections  (455  Lyman  Dr.,  Hilliard, 
OH,  43026)which  features  Scottish  pew- 
ter pendants,  painted  and  with  moveable 
limbs,  of  Humpty  Dumpty,  the  mad  Hat- 
ter, and  the  White  Rabbit  ($38  each). 

Mercury  House  reports  that  their  new 
edition  of  The  Complete  Sylvie  and  Bruno 
(see  KL  39)  is  selling  well  thanks  to 
mentions  in  the  New  York  Times  Book 
Review,  Publisher's  Weekly,  and  else- 
where. Even  a  review  in  the  Milwaukee 
Journal  titled  "Carroll's  Late  Novels 
Jusdy  Neglected"  piqued  reader  interest. 
We  hope  to  have  results  of  the  Mercury 
House  S&B  contest  in  time  to  be  printed 
in  the  next  Knight  Letter. 


Recent  and  upcoming  offerings  of  Lewis 
Carroll  materials  from  out-of-print 
bookdealers  include  Catalogue  #  1 2  from 
Lovett  &  Lovett,  Booksellers  (110  N. 
Hawthorne  Rd.,  Winston-Salem,  NC, 
27 104)  which  contains  over  400  items  by 
or  about  Carroll;  and  a  300-plus  book 
collection  of  Carroll  materials  being  of- 
fered by  Much  Ado  (7  Pleasant  St., 
Marblehead,  MA,  01945). 

Inkadinkado  (76  South  St.,  Boston,  MA, 
02111)  offers  an  Alice  in  Wonderland 
rubber  stamp  set  featuring  40  stamps,  a 
storage  box,  an  idea  booklet  and,  of 
course,  a  purple  ink  pad,  for  $29.95-i-$3. 75 
shipping. 

The  Wonderland  Tarot  Cards,  previously 
glimpsed  at  several  locations,  are  now 
available  from  What  on  Earth  (2451 
Enterprise  East  Pkwy.,  Twinsburg,  OH, 
44087)  for  $12.95+$3.00  shipping.  The 
same  catalogue  also  offers  a  "black  vel- 
vet Wonderland  hat"  for  $37.95,  but  we 
are  at  a  loss  to  say  what  this  particular 
chapeau  has  to  do  with  Alice's  adven- 
tures. 

The  Museum  of  Fine  Arts  in  Boston 
(Catalogue  Sales  Dept.,  P.O.  Box  1044, 
Boston,  MA,  02120)  offers  a  reissue  of 
the  Macmillan  Pop-Up  edition  of  Alice, 
designed  by  Jenny  Thorne  ($14),  the 
Christopher  Plummer  Alice  tapes 
($16.95),  and  an  Alice  doll  which  does 
not  look  particularly  Alician  ($15.95). 
Shipping  is  extra. 

The  San  Jose,  CA,  Dance  Theatre  will 
revive  i\\Q\r  Adventures  of  Alice  on  Feb. 
28-March  1 .  Two  new  scenes  (Croquet 
Game  &  Tea  Party)  have  been  added. 


For  assistance  in  preparing  this  issue  we  would  like  to  thank:  Alice  Harrison  Bahr,  Richard  Boothe,  Sandor  Burstein,  Morton  Cohen, 
Joseph  Desy,  Jonathan  Dixon,  Elizabeth  Erickson,  Emily  Jordan  Flowers,  Jacquelyn  Giuffre,  Tricia  Haarer,  Dee  Jones,  Janet  Jurist, 
Stephanie  Lovett, ,  Lucille  Posner,  David  &  Maxine  Schaefer,  and  Mary  Charlotte  Tarr. 

Knight  Letter  is  the  official  newsletter  of  the  Lewis  Carroll  Society  of  North  America.  It  is  published  quarterly  and  is  distributed 
free  to  all  members.  Subscriptions,  business  correspondence,  and  inquiries  should  be  addressed  to  the  Secretary,  LCSNA,  617 
Rockford  Road,  Silver  Spring,  Maryland,  20902.  Annual  membership  dues  are  $20  (regular)  &  $50  (sustaining).  Submissions  and 
editorial  correspondence  should  be  sent  to  the  Editor,  Charles  C.  Lovett,  1092  West  Fourth  Street,  Winston-Salem,  N.C.,  27101.